The disclosure relates generally to distribution of communications signals in a distributed antenna system (DAS), and more particularly to flexibly distributing digital and/or analog communications signals between analog DASs over digital communications mediums.
Wireless customers are increasingly demanding digital data services, such as streaming video signals. Concurrently, some wireless customers use their wireless devices in areas that are poorly served by conventional cellular networks, such as inside certain buildings or areas where there is little cellular coverage. One response to the intersection of these two concerns has been the use of DASs. DASs can be particularly useful when deployed inside buildings or other indoor environments where client devices may not otherwise be able to effectively receive radio frequency (RF) signals from a source. DASs include remote antenna units (RAUs) configured to receive and transmit communications signals to client devices within the antenna range of the RAUs.
A typical DAS comprises a head-end unit communicatively coupled to one or more remote unit groups, each comprising at least one remote unit. The remote unit may be an RAU that is configured to wirelessly distribute communications signals to and from the head-end unit. The head-end unit is configured to receive and distribute the communications signals to a variety of wireless services, such as wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA), long-term evolution (LTE), and wireless local area network (WLAN) communications services. To distribute such wireless communications services in a DAS, the wireless communications services can be provided in the form of digital communications signals and/or analog communications signals to the head-end unit of the DAS. Thus, the DAS may be configured to receive and distribute the digital communications signals and/or analog communications signals in either analog or digital form. Analog communications signals may be directly modulated onto a carrier signal for transmission over an analog communications medium. Digital communications signals, in contrast, are signals generated by sampling and digitizing an analog communications signal before modulating onto the carrier signal. DASs configured to directly distribute analog communications signals may be referred to as analog DASs. DASs configured to directly distribute digital communications signals may be referred to as digital DASs.
No admission is made that any reference cited herein constitutes prior art. Applicant expressly reserves the right to challenge the accuracy and pertinency of any cited documents.